Here’s an advertisement from Omaha’s Monitor newspaper from November 1922 showcasing Gonzell White’s “ten jazzers” and their upcoming week long stint at the downtown Gayety theater. They were accompanied by the Jimmie Cooper Beauty Revue. Gonzell White seems a forgotten and mysterious figure in the development of American 20th century music blurring faux minstrelsy, vaudeville, burlesque, and entertainment. The newspaper advertisement promoted “Gonzell White and Her Brown Skins” but only named saxophonist Ed Langford and Harry Smith, “the laughing cornetist with the crazy feet.”
The last reference to Gonzelle White that I can find at Newspapers.com is from the Lawton Constitution in Lawton, Oklahoma. She played the Orpheum Theater (probably on the Orpheum Circuit) on May 4 and 5, 1932 "with her red hot jazz band and brown skin chorus."
The January 1, 1927 issue of the Pittsburgh Courier (page 15) has a picture of Gonzelle and reports that her husband died in Indianapolis on December 16, 1926.
Gonzelle White played the Berchel Theater in Des Moines, Iowa for two nights, September 14 and 15, 1924. The show was called "Runnin' Wild" with Billy Foster, John O. Grant, Sam Micals, Babe Healy and "GONZELLE WHITE and her Celebrated Jazz Band." Both dates offered matinee and evening shows. Ticket Prices: Matinee -- 25 to 75 cents; Evening 25 cents to $1.00. The Berchel opened in 1911 and seated about 1,200.
Ed really was called Lankford and Gonzell carried on after he died. She is perhaps best known through Count Basie's memories: Basie was a member of her band when it folded in Kansas City in 1927. Gonzell had other, apparently not so successful, revues later. The last written trace is an entry in Billboard's letters list in 1936.
The last reference to Gonzelle White that I can find at Newspapers.com is from the Lawton Constitution in Lawton, Oklahoma. She played the Orpheum Theater (probably on the Orpheum Circuit) on May 4 and 5, 1932 "with her red hot jazz band and brown skin chorus."
The January 1, 1927 issue of the Pittsburgh Courier (page 15) has a picture of Gonzelle and reports that her husband died in Indianapolis on December 16, 1926.
Gonzelle White played the Berchel Theater in Des Moines, Iowa for two nights, September 14 and 15, 1924. The show was called "Runnin' Wild" with Billy Foster, John O. Grant, Sam Micals, Babe Healy and "GONZELLE WHITE and her Celebrated Jazz Band." Both dates offered matinee and evening shows. Ticket Prices: Matinee -- 25 to 75 cents; Evening 25 cents to $1.00. The Berchel opened in 1911 and seated about 1,200.
Ed really was called Lankford and Gonzell carried on after he died. She is perhaps best known through Count Basie's memories: Basie was a member of her band when it folded in Kansas City in 1927. Gonzell had other, apparently not so successful, revues later. The last written trace is an entry in Billboard's letters list in 1936.
Michael Rader